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Connecting the Drops - Working Together for Water

Now, more than ever before, local agencies, organizations, and residents are working together to address the challenges of ensuring a reliable, safe, and sufficient water supply for communities across Santa Cruz County. With our unique environment, where our limited water supplies are entirely locally derived; there are great advantages to shared management of those resources.
 
For more than a decade, local water and resource agencies have jointly participated in integrated regional water management, an approach that promotes regional water self-sufficiency and the implementation of a broad portfolio of inter-related water management strategies. This approach has been successful both in strengthening local partnerships, and securing state funding to help local agencies plan and implement drinking water and wastewater infrastructure improvements.  It has also allowed local agencies to conduct technical studies on complimentary approaches to groundwater and surface water management such as aquifer recharge and conjunctive use, expansion of recycled water infrastructure, improvements to storm water management, and the implementation of watershed and habitat restoration projects.
 
In order to share the collaborative and innovative ways that organizations and communities are responding to these water challenges, the Santa Cruz Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO), the County of Santa Cruz, and the Regional Water Management Foundation are hosting "Connecting the Drops: Working Together for Water" on Thursday, February 1st, at 6:30 p.m. at the New Brighton Middle School  to  hear about these joint efforts that are making a difference in our community.

The event will include keynote speaker Taryn Ravazzini, Deputy Director of the California Department of Water Resources, who will speak on behalf of the State's perspective on sustainable groundwater management. John Ricker, Santa Cruz County Water Resources Director, will moderate a panel discussion on water management efforts underway throughout the county. Water and resource agencies will also have information stations on sustainable groundwater management, groundwater recharge, storm water management, water conservation, watershed management and will be available to answer questions.
 
For event information click HERE

Cannabis Cultivation Regulations to be Discussed
The County has been on a long journey towards developing rules for the cannabis industry in our county. With the enactment of a statewide regulatory system, we finally have some parameters and state support to adopt rules for the cultivation of this plant. The challenges of developing these regulations have been a result, in part, of a small county trying to develop a system without the support of an effective statewide regulatory scheme. In preparation, we convened a committee (known as the C4 Committee) of cultivators, neighbors, and environmentalists to make recommendations for a cultivation and manufacturing ordinance. We then crafted a draft ordinance, received valuable feedback from a number of County advisory bodies, and then produced a Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) to study the impacts on the environment. The DEIR was released at the end of the summer and many valuable comments were welcomed.
 
On February 5 the Board will hold a special meeting where cannabis will be the only subject. You can read the new draft regulations here.  The Board will hear testimony and provide direction to our staff in developing an ordinance that will be reviewed by County advisory bodies before adoption by the Board.
 
Crafting an effective set of rules that allows cannabis to be commercially cultivated while protecting our environment and our neighborhoods has been a very challenging process. I am confident that we can develop an ordinance that balances these interests. I encourage your participation in this discussion.


Nissan Draft Dealership EIR Comment Period Extended
The Draft EIR (DEIR) for the Nissan dealership proposal is out for review. The document looks not only at the development proposed for the corner of 41 st Avenue and Soquel Drive, but also at alternative scenarios involving a commercial only development, a mixed use development, and the possible relocation of this proposal to a different site.  The DEIR contains detailed information about traffic, land use choices, and other elements of the development.
 
Recognizing that the Planning Department released the DEIR on the Friday before Christmas, I requested an extension of the comment period until February 20.  

You can read the document by clicking here. The Appendices (A through K) can be found at the bottom of the Planning CEQA website here (scroll to the bottom).

Comments and questions about the EIR can be sent  to:  Todd.Sexauer@santacruzcounty.us  Phone: 454-2580 (Please ask for Todd). 

Please feel free to contact my office if you want more information.

CANNABIS MEETINGS 

Wednesday, January 31
5:30 p.m.

Governmental Building, 701 Ocean Street, 5th Floor
&
Thursday, February 1 
5:30 p.m.

Felton Community Hall, 6191 Highway 9, Felton

COMMUNITY MEETING HOSTED BY NISSAN DEALERSHIP

Wednesday, February 8
7:00 p.m.

Fairfield Inn & Suites
1255 41st Avenue
Capitola

(Parking fee waived by Fairfield Inn & Suites)

PLEASURE POINT COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR WORKSHOP

Thursday, February 22
6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Del Mar Elementary School Gym
1959 Merrill Street
Santa Cruz


Wednesday, February 7

5:30-6:30 p.m.
Porter Memorial Library
3050 Porter Street
Soquel
Wednesday, February 14

5:30-6:30 p.m.
People's Coffee
1200 17th Avenue 
Live Oak
Wednesday, February 21

5:30-6:30 p.m.
Loma Prieta School
23800 Summit Road
Summit Area

STAFF
831-454-2200
Not paid for with County funds